Leakin' Red Paint
by Flashing The Floods
Summary: Peeta's taking a walk and a wild Gale appears. *shot for overused pokemon reference* Crappy oneshot, very old. Borderline slash, but not quite.


**Author's Note: This is another fic that is OLD. OLD OLD OLD OLD. I mean like old old old, pushing a year and a half old just like the other OLD OLD OLD one I uploaded. And once again it probably doesn't make a lot of sense because it's based off this rp between me and my friend. I am also only uploading this for sentimental value and to get it off my computer because it's collecting virtual dust. **

Peeta zipped his jacket and shoved his hands in his pockets, glancing around the trees briefly before picking a direction and heading in it. He sort of wished Katniss was with him, as he didn't know the forest nearly as well as she did and her navigation would be greatly appreciated. Nonetheless, if he survived the arena there should be no reason why he shouldn't be able to take a walk in the woods.

Taking an evening walk and enjoying the fresh air was in fact his only purpose for being in the forest, and perhaps that was odd. It was illegal to be there after all, so was strolling through some trees really worth the risk of punishment? Peeta thought it was actually, and would even if he were likely to be caught. Which he wasn't, Katniss hunted there all the time and never got caught. So he continued about his way, appreciating the cool breeze.

The baker paused near one tall ash tree, hearing a sighing sound beyond it, that he was positive wasn't the wind. It sounded too human. Nervously, Peeta pressed his back to the tree, inhaling slowly. He thought there was a good chance whoever was back there hadn't spotted him, and if he stayed where he was maybe they would just go away. "Hiding is pointless Mellark, I already saw you," a voice grunted, one Peeta recognized with a mixture of relief and dismay.

"Gale?" The blonde teen blinked in mild disbelief and peered around the tree. Sure enough, the hunter was there, partially hidden by shrubbery though Peeta could see him slumped back against another tree and looking up to the blonde with what appeared to be irritation. "What are you doing here?" Peeta asked. It wasn't Sunday, so the older teen was supposed to be mining. _If I knew he'd be here, I wouldn't have come_, he thought.

"I could ask you the same thing," Gale retorted. "But actually I'm pretty sure why you are. The universe doesn't like me, so of all the people that could come across me in a moment of weakness, it had to be you." The blonde's eyebrows knitted in confusion. He stepped around the tree and tilted his head. "What are you-" He broke off, staring at the hunter. Gale was gripping his shoulder tightly, blood gushing out from under his palm and running in streams down his tan skin, dripping off of his limp fingers.

"You're hurt…"

Gale scoffed. "No, not at all, just leaking red paint."

Peeta kneeled down beside him, frowning. "What happened?" The hunter shook his head, breathing another weary sigh. "Doesn't matter." Peeta tilted his head slightly, eyes still fixed on the blood. "I could help." Gale snickered briefly. "You're too goddamn nice, Mellark."

_It' couldn't be any easier to talk to this guy_, the baker though dryly. "So…That's your way of giving me permission?" A brow was lifted as blue eyes questioned gray ones. Gale shrugged the uninjured shoulder. "I guess, if you think you can." Peeta gave a slight nod and the older teen let his hand fall away, revealing a jagged gash that liquid ruby now spilled freely out of. The baker unzipped his jacket and shrugged it off, planning to rip off a sleeve and use that as a makeshift bandage when he noticed something odd. It was rather chilly out, and all Gale wore was a black teeshirt.

"Aren't you cold?" He asked without meaning to, thinking this to be an irrelevant and pointless question. The hunter blinked, seemingly bemused. "Um…I wasn't really thinking about it." Peeta went on to rip off his sleeve, which wasn't really that hard of a task. The material was thick and quality, but the blonde was a rather strong individual. He did as he planned and wrapped the wound, thankfully without complaint or resistance from Gale.

"Thanks," the hunter murmured reluctantly.

"No problem." Peeta replied, putting his damaged jacket back on.

"So I take it you're going to go back home now?" The brunette tilted his head slightly.

"I didn't plan on it…You mind me hanging around?" The baker didn't realize how stupid the question was until it left his lips. Why wouldn't Gale mind? The two weren't exactly friends. And then, why should he even care if the older teen did mind? It wasn't his forest, Peeta could do what he wanted.

"Eh, not particularly." Another partial shrug. "Whenever you leave, just remember to take that." Gale pointed to a burlap sack laying less than a foot away, that Peeta hadn't even noticed before. The blonde curiously picked it up and peered inside. Bloody feathers greeted his visual inquiry. "A pheasant?" The hunter nodded. "Consider it a token of my gratitude," he said with a bit of sarcasm. Peeta smirked slightly. "I'll take it." Then he scooted forward and sat next to Gale, leaning back against the tree. He wasn't sure why he did, but didn't question it. Gale didn't either.

"It's easy to see how someone could fall in love with you. How _she_ could fall in love with you," murmured the hunter suddenly, gray eyes fixed on Peeta with an odd calamity.

The younger teen looked back at him, just short of bewildered. "What?"

"You heard me."

"She doesn't love me…Not really."

"I never said she did, I said it'd be easy for her to. Or anyone really, you're just that kind of lovable person."

The baker stared at the hunter incredulously. He was utterly speechless.

"If I didn't have history with her, I wouldn't stand a chance. Though if that was the case, I don't see how I'd end up interested in the first place. Perhaps I would though, for the longest time you were interested from afar." Gale still spoke softly, with an honesty Peeta wasn't sure what to make of.

"Where's this coming from?"

Another partial shrug. "Who knows? I'm in a weird mood. I guess I'll blame it on being in pain." A dry smirk followed the statement, the familiarity of the expression bringing a bit of comfort to the blonde. "I like you though, pain or no pain. I'll probably never say it again, but I like you Mellark. Shame we're rivals."

"Rivals? That's how you think of it?"

"Is there any other way to think of it?"

"I suppose not," the baker said slowly, shrugging. "For what it's worth, I like you too."

Gale snickered softly. "I bet. You're probably just saying that to be nice, cause that's just how you are."

Peeta chuckled and shook his head. "I'm that nice of a guy? I hadn't really noticed. But no, I'm not just saying it. I like you. You think it's easy to see how she could fall in love with me? It's pretty damn easy to see how she could love you too."

A dark brow lifted, a teasing grin turning up the corners of tan lips. "Just her, or anyone really?"

"Anyone really."

"Wanna fatten my ego and tell me how?"

"You didn't really elaborate on what's so lovable about me."

"Touché."

It came to Peeta's attention then that he was nearly touching the other male, the only space separating them just over an inch. He could feel Gale's body heat, which was probably what drew the closeness to his attention in the first place. It'd gotten cooler out, and darker too. "I should probably be going," said the baker, taking note of the sky that was seeming to grow darker by the minute.

"I should too, I suppose." Gale stood, stretched and turned around, extending his available hand to help the blonde teen up. Peeta grabbed the bag with the dead pheasant and then took the hand, appreciating the help that he didn't need. The baker's hand lingered in the hunter's. He discovered that as odd as it was, he didn't want to let go. Gale's hand was rough and calloused, but warm and the grip was secure. He let go anyway after a moment of noticeable delay that the older teen didn't comment on. However, as the two weaved through the trees, Peeta's hand found Gale's again.

The hunter gave him a questioning look, despite the fact he'd already closed his fingers around the other male's. "It's dark, and I don't know the forest as well as you do," the blonde explained, "I just don't want to get lost…"

"Ah."

"Have you ever gotten lost?"

"Never in life."

"That's reassuring."

Gale proceeded to walk Peeta all the way home, even though it was quite out of the way. The air was awkward, but the full-fledged tenseness had dissipated. They held hands the entire time. "Do you want to come in?" The blonde offered after entering his home, holding it open. He wasn't sure what it was that possessed him to ask.

"No, thats okay. I'll catch you later…Enjoy the pheasant."

"Yeah, of course." Peeta nodded and smiled a little as he shut the door.


End file.
